Indian bus with 40 onboard plunges into Marsyangdi river in Nepal; 27 killed, toll likely to rise

An Indian passenger bus with 40 people onboard plunged into the Marsyangdi river in Tanahun district, Nepal Police confirmed. The number of deaths in the incident rose to 27, said Chief District Officer of Tanahun, Janardan Gautam on Friday.

The PTI report said that according to DSP Dipak Kumar Raya, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Tanahun, the bus fell into Marsyangdi at around 11.30 a.m. on August 23.

The official said the bus from Pokhara was on its way to Kathmandu. 

24 bodies to be brought to Maharashtra 

The Maharashtra Chief Minister's office said the bodies of 24 people killed in the Nepal bus accident will be brought back to the state on Saturday, August 24. “The bodies will be brought by Indian Air Force plane,” it said. Tomorrow. 

14 Unconscious, Rushed To Hospital

According to an AP report, the bus veered off the highway and rolled toward a fast-flowing river, stopping on the rocky bank. The report added that the top part of the bus had been ripped, but the wreckage did not plunge into the Marsyangdi River.

The AP report said 14 people were pulled out of the bus unconscious and rushed to hospitals nearby.

Bus Likely From Uttar Pradesh

“The bus bearing number plate UP FT 7623 plunged into the river and is lying on the bank of the river,” DSP Deepkumar Raya from the District Police Office Tanahun told ANI.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner told ANI they are trying to establish contact to find out if anyone from Uttar Pradesh was on the bus.

Rescue Operations Underway

A team of 45 Armed Police Force personnel led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Madhav Paudel from the Armed Police Force Nepal Disaster Management Training School are on site to carry out the rescue operation, the PTI report added.

About 35 APF personnel from no 23 Battalion, Bhanu, Tanahun, are also involved in the rescue operation, the report said.

An MI-17 helicopter of the Nepal Army carrying a medical team has flown to the site from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, ANI reported citing the Army's Communications Department.

ANI has shared a video of the rescue operation on social media site X (formerly known as Twitter). The video was released by Nepal-based news wire agency the Rastriya Samachar Samiti.

In July this year, 65 people on two buses were swept into the Trishuli River in Nepal. The buses—one Kathmandu-bound Angel bus and one Ganpati Deluxe en route to Kathmandu to Rautahat's Gaur—were swept away in aheavy downpour, it added.

(With inputs from Agencies)